7 camping essentials for your next outdoor excursion

Get outside this summer with these camping trip essentials.

Camping is one of the best ways to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life and relax in the great outdoors. But it can also be a headache if you don't have the right camping essentials to make your trip go as smoothly as possible. Sleeping, cooking, and staying connected can all become struggles while out in nature, but with the right items, you can embark on a stress-free excursion.

As someone who goes camping 10-20 times per year and has an outdoor recreation blog, the activity is close to my heart. I've learned through trial and error which items are most important to bring camping (and what can stay behind). Whether you're staying at a campsite or going on a primitive camping trip, here are seven must-have camping items for a successful outdoor adventure.

Whether you’re camping by yourself, with a partner, or the whole family, having the right sized tent makes all the difference. When I 3first tried camping, I went with the Coleman 2-Person Sundome and it was a great starter tent. The 5'x7' size was perfect for a queen-sized air mattress, and setup was painless.

Once we decided to start taking the dog and spending more time at campgrounds, we upgraded to the UNP 10-Person Camping Tent to have a bit more space. This massive tent measures 18’x9’ and reaches a height of 6.5 feet in the center, allowing me to stand up and walk around in it. The included tent stakes work fine, but I would also recommend this Coleman Tent Kit that comes with four heavy-duty stakes for the corners, as they’ve held mine down solid on every trip.

The UNP tent has a detachable divider in the center that effectively creates two private rooms, which is great for separating people camping in groups. And while it's certainly great for bigger groups, I still use it for just myself and my girlfriend because there's enough room for an air mattress, our bags, the dog, the dog bed, and more. It's by far my favorite upgrade I’ve made to my basic camping gear.

Need somewhere to sleep? If you’re going on a solo trip or backpacking and worried about weight, the best option is a sleeping bag. There are lots of affordable ones that work just fine, and I personally went with the Sleepingo Double Sleeping Bag. It's warm, waterproof, big enough for two people, and it comes with a drawstring compression bag so it's easy to carry.

For anyone who's camping at a campground and can afford the extra weight, an air mattress is a huge upgrade. With either of the tents mentioned above, a queen-sized air mattress will fit just fine (even though it’ll take up the entire two-person tent). You can also find plenty of full-sized air mattresses that are big enough for one or two people. With any size, all you need is a nearby power source to plug an air pump in (which many campgrounds have on site).

If you do decide to opt for a sleeping bag, make sure you get an inflatable sleeping pad or egg crate foam to lay on the ground or your back will feel it in the morning!

Being able to cook your own meals is essential while camping if you don't want to be stuck eating freeze-dried meals the whole trip. The easy answer may seem to just to heat some water up or cook over the campfire, but this can be harder than you might think. Depending on the weather, firewood available, campsite restrictions, and more, maintaining a campfire can be tough, and cooking on it — or even just boiling water — may seem nearly impossible.

That's where a camping cooking system like the Jetboil Flash comes in. This fast-boiling cooking system is designed to boil water in less than 100 seconds, making your morning coffee or freeze-dried meals a breeze to prep. For anyone staying at a campground, you can up the ante even more with an electric grill like this one from Hamilton Beach. I take it with me whenever I’m camping at a campground, and it makes cooking burgers, hot dogs, or anything else super simple.

No matter how you’re planning on cooking your meals while camping, make sure you pick up an affordable camping cookware set. I use this option from PAK that comes with just about everything you need in an easy-to-carry bundle.

While you won't want to lug around a big full-size generator while you’re backpacking, you should always make sure to have access to power just in case you need to use a phone or other device in an emergency.

My suggestion? Pick up one of the lightweight handheld options in case of emergency. They’re small, easy to add to a backpack, and can be a lifesaver if something happens. The PowerCore 20000 from Anker is a reliable and popular option.

When camping at a campground, you can more easily bring a bigger generator to provide power to a whole site. With the Geneverse HomePower ONE — which I personally use — you can keep your phone charged, plug in your laptop, or even use an electric grill.

No matter what kind of camping trip you’re going on, lanterns are a must-have around your campsite. It's no fun trying to get around a campsite at night with just the flashlight on your phone, and lanterns are the easiest way to light your path.

While there are endless camping lanterns out there to choose from, my favorite kind of lantern is collapsible and doubles as an LED flashlight. This $30 two-pack of collapsible lanterns is a solid budget-friendly option.

One of the most annoying parts about camping is all the pesky bugs, making insect repellent essential for an enjoyable trip.

I use a Thermacell Mosquito Repellent E-Series Rechargeable Repeller that effectively creates an invisible dome of protection around your tent and campsite to keep the bugs away. Thermacell's insect repellers are super easy to set up and use, so long as you keep modular refills handy for when you run out of repellent and recharge the unit when the battery dies (which a solar power bank works great for).

If you’re backpacking and camping in the backcountry, you won't want to carry a cooler around with you. But if you’re ever staying at a campground, a high-quality cooler makes all the difference. After all, there's no better way to relax after setting up your tent than with an ice cold beverage.

One of the biggest names in the industry is YETI, but I don't necessarily recommend paying the higher-than-average price. I’ve been using Coleman and Igloo coolers for years with enduring success. Right now, my go-to is the Coleman 316 Series because it's big enough for an entire trip's worth of water, beer, and food. Plus, it has wheels so it's easy to move around the campsite as necessary.

Admittedly, even though I don't think a YETI cooler is always worth the splurge, I do actually use a YETI Rambler Colster Slim Can Insulator to keep my drink of choice as cold as possible.